*This page may include affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through one of the product links, we may receive a small commission. For full affiliate disclosure please see our disclaimer page.
Gardening season is almost upon us and a great time to grow herbs for dogs! I personally have been dreaming all winter. I started gardening a few years ago and every season is a learning experience for me. One thing I always do in my garden is plant/ grow a lot of herbs. I love the flavor that they bring to our foods and that familiar aroma of fresh herbs.
I have been using various herbs for animal healing for quite a while now. The very first herb that I started adding to my dogs’ food was parsley. I had read in multiple holistic healing books that parsley was so great for oral health. And other nutrition education programs taught me that it is super packed with vitamin A.
So I started chopping it up and mixing in with my dog’s food. At first, Jak, our Peekapoo took a look in his bowl and then looked back up at me like he was saying “you gotta be kidding me”. He picked around it and left half his dinner in the bowl. My other dogs just wolfed the new ingredient down with the rest of their meal.
Over the years I have seen how beneficial some of these herbs are for dogs. I love talking with other pet parents about ways we can add health boosting ingredients to our pet’s food. In this article, I am going to briefly go over some common beneficial herbs that you can grow in your garden. I will rate these plants on how easy they are to grow and their taste appeal for the average family dog as well as teach you some of the important health benefits that each herb can have for your dog.
Table of Contents :
For convenience, I have made a quick glance chart and then each herb gets its own, more detailed spotlight below the table.
| Peppermint | Mint is full of vitamin A and vitamin C complex. It contains the trace minerals manganese and iron. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium also join this party along with a huge dose of antioxidants. |
| Basil | Basil is a proven anti-viral. Like many vibrant green veggies, basil contains cancer fighting compounds. It can also improve oral health like gingivitis and some dogs receive a relaxing effect. |
| Thyme | Thyme is light and earthy and can help remove inflammation in the digestive tract. Thyme is another natural antibiotic and has also been used for various upper respiratory conditions. |
| Burdock | Burdock is a great herb for general use and is very safe to use. It can help your dog’s body detox through the liver and kidneys. This can decrease inflammation, balance the thyroid, reduce itching, and detox chemicals and medications. |
| Parsley | Parsley is great for gums and teeth. All of those antioxidants and detox compounds kill bacteria as your dog chews them. Parsley is also a great boost to the immune system due to the large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C. Parsley is great for digestion and may also contain cancer-fighting components and helps with swelling by improving lymph flow. |
| Cilantro | Cilantro has properties that are antibacterial and anti-fungal as well. As a strong antioxidant, cilantro reduces inflammation. This easy herb is a big package of vitamins and minerals that boosts the immune system as well as bone health. Coriander has been studied as a remedy for stomach pains, gassiness, nausea, toothaches, and arthritis. |
| Chamomile | The health benefits of Chamomile are endless. It is great at promoting calmness, it helps to relieve stress and anxiety. It can soothe stomachs and also reduce mouth pain |
Peppermint Is A Tasty And Healthy Herb For Dogs
Peppermint is pretty easy to grow. It doesn’t like dry environments or blasting full hot sun. It does spread readily through underground shoots called runners or rhizomes. Also, it is perennial which means that it will grow back every year in most climates. Most dogs love the taste and smell of mint.
In healthy growing environments mint is full of vitamin A and vitamin C complex. It contains the trace minerals manganese and iron. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium also join this party along with a huge dose of antioxidants.
Dogs can benefit from mint in multiple ways, but each individual dog can react differently. It can soothe a stomach ache, reduce burping gasses, clean the teeth, reduce inflammation and freshen breath.
Click HERE to get your 100% Heirloom, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO Peppermint Seeds
Basil Is An Amazing Antiviral Herb For Dogs
Basil is moderately easy to grow. I have seen people grow it indoors and out. Healthy soil is the key to growing this herb. I have had the best luck growing this as a “partner” crop to tomato plants. I give the tomatoes a few weeks head start, and then I plant cuttings or seeds around the main stem where the basil will get a little shade and hold its moisture. And the smell of that combination is divine!
Most dogs like the taste of basil, especially freshly cut from the garden. I cut up the leaves and sprinkle them into my dog’s meal. Basil is so well known as a flavor and spice, but there is not much talk about the magnificent health benefits. Basil is great at reducing inflammation and is a natural antibiotic. Basil is also a proven anti-viral. Like many vibrant green veggies, basil contains cancer fighting compounds. It can also improve oral health like gingivitis and some dogs receive a relaxing effect.
Click HERE to get your 100% Heirloom, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO Basil Seeds
Take Your Time With Thyme – A Natural Antibiotic Herb For Dogs
Thyme is another classic herb that you can easily grow in your garden. It is not difficult to grow or keep alive however sprouting from seeds may be a challenge. Seeds must be warm to sprout and grow. So, honestly, I usually buy one thyme plant from a garden center and give it its own pot on my deck. Where I live in Colorado, thyme does not usually grow back each year but in some climates, it can be a nice perennial. Thyme does not like too much water and its roots can die if the soil has poor drainage and stays wet.
Not all dogs like the taste of thyme. My pug used to grab a few pieces…but then again…she’s a pug and pugs will eat anything. Thyme is light and earthy and can help remove inflammation in the digestive tract. Thyme is another natural antibiotic and has also been used for various upper respiratory conditions.
Click HERE to get your 100% Heirloom, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO Thyme Seeds
Burdock Is A Great Detox Herb For Dogs
A lesser known member of the garden is Burdock. It originates in Asia and has a light radish-artichoke-lotus taste. It is used to flavor stir fry or added to salads. Gardeners in the US say that Burdock is easy to grow once it is established. You have to have a nutrient-rich soil for the plant to grow. ( Find out if you can use dog poop to fertilize your garden ? ). Most of the flavor and medicinal properties of this plant occur in the roots.
Dogs that are used to getting yummy health boosting fresh foods in their meals do not mind the taste of burdock. Most people use the herb thinly sliced or shredded fresh on food.
Burdock is a great herb for general use and is very safe to use. It can help your dog’s body detox through the liver and kidneys. This can decrease inflammation, balance the thyroid, reduce itching, and detox chemicals and medications.
Click HERE to get your Non-GMO Burdock Seeds
Parsley More Than A Dog Bowl Garnish
Parsley, as described above, is a great introduction to using herbs for dogs. You can grow parsley almost anywhere, it is a pretty hardy herb. I usually directly sow these seeds into my herb garden. I love to grow it instead of buying it from the grocery store. Plants sold in great quantities in grocery stores are usually produced hydroponically. They push rapid growth of the parsley rather than nutritional content. The better your soil is, the better your parsley will be.
Most dogs don’t mind the taste of parsley. Start with small pieces in small amounts and mix them into their meal. You can quickly increase the amount thrown in there. I also like to put some parsley in any food I am making for my dogs such as sweet potatoes, chicken, or bone broth.
Parsley is great for gums and teeth. All of those antioxidants and detox compounds kill bacteria as your dog chews them. Parsley is a great boost to the immune system, probably due to the large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C. Parsley is great for digestion, that’s why it is used as a garnish next to meals. This common herb may also contain cancer-fighting components and helps with swelling by improving lymph flow.
Click HERE to get your 100% Heirloom, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO Parsley Seeds
Cilantro aka Coriander Is a Great Antifungal Herb for Your Dog
My personal favorite herb is probably cilantro. I can put cilantro on anything! Tacos, salads, rice, chili, or ramen. Yummm Delicious! Cilantro is the name used when referring to the green leafy immature part of this plant. The mature seeds after the plant flowers are known as Coriander. Some gardeners use these terms interchangeably.
Cilantro is very easy to grow and like many greens, you can harvest a large portion of the leafy stems and the roots will grow back. It grows best with light shade in my garden, it didn’t do too well when I tried a bed in full sun. I have found that most dogs don’t mind the taste of cilantro. I guess they don’t have to worry about being a carrier of that human gene that makes cilantro taste like “soap”.
I first read about the medicinal qualities of cilantro when I was researching heavy metal toxicity in one of my very old dogs. This amazing plant has active compounds that bind to toxic metals and prepares them for excretion. Cilantro has properties that are antibacterial and antifungal as well. As a strong antioxidant, cilantro reduces inflammation. This easy herb is a big package of vitamins and minerals that boosts the immune system as well as bone health. Coriander has been studied as a remedy for stomach pains, gassiness, nausea, toothaches, and arthritis. It does all of this, while also being delightfully delicious in tacos and burritos. Sold!
Click HERE to get your 100% Heirloom, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO Cilantro Seeds
Chamomile: A Fancy Sounding Simple Herb for Your Dog
Right now I don’t have to plant chamomile, because it grows in the wild in most of my pastures. Chamomile likes soil on the dry side and can flourish in full sun or partial shade. Depending on the variety, people grow chamomile fairly easily. Also after a year or two, the established plant should come back year after year. You can find some on your property or in wild public meadows. Most people start it from seed and I have personally used this organic seed variety.
I don’t believe that dogs object to the taste of chamomile, it’s pretty mild. I have even used some flowers that I had leftover from something that I dried and crushed up onto my dog’s meals. My blind pitbull, Wally, likes a little bit of chamomile tea in his meal I also use chamomile tea bags to make tea and then I toss in a few cups of organic oatmeal and let it set for about 10 minutes. After ten minutes or so, the dogs will have a healthier addition to their meal. I also use the chamomile tea oatmeal to stuff frozen bones for treats or boredom busters.
The health benefits are endless. It is great at promoting calmness, it helps to relieve stress and anxiety. It can soothe stomachs and also reduce mouth pain. I have also used it as a light tea to add to bathing water. Two of my Dachshunds that were born without useable front limbs prefer a “sponge” bath instead of a dunk or shower. I make a light tea and while still warm use it for their baths. It is soothing to their skin and acts as a natural antiseptic.
Click HERE to get your 100% Heirloom, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO Chamomile Seeds
You Can’t Go Wrong With These Herbs For Your Dog
As you can see, there are many uses for herbs that you can grow in your own garden. As a bonus, these herbs can be planted in areas where your dog hangs out. It’s totally safe if a dog takes a bite, sniff, or roll. Wanna learn more about topical creams that could be toxic to dogs? . The worst that might happen would be an upset stomach or vomiting from each too much of a woody part.
Herbs can increase our health and quality of life in amazing ways. It’s easy to give these benefits to your dogs too. So go on and get outside, play with your dog and plant a garden, because mall amounts of herbs can bring so much life and healing. Start small and share your experience on our social media pages. We would love to hear about your family!
If you liked this content check out more of our blogs below!